The Texas Senate has approved a proposal to increase the penalty for illegal voting from a misdemeanor to a second-degree felony despite opponents of the bill calling it an act of voter suppression.
The measure, approved by a 19-12 vote Tuesday, is one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's priorities this legislative session, and the proposal by Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, is the first of 30 of the Senate chief's priorities to pass through the chamber and move to the House.
Senate Bill 2 seeks to:
Reinstitute a felony charge for illegal voting, which was dropped to a misdemeanor in the 2021 legislative session.
Clarify that if a person knowingly votes despite being aware they are ineligible due to reasons such as felony restrictions, citizenship status, address changes or age, they are subject to a second-degree felony that carries a jail sentence of 2-20 years.